Part 348 (2/2)

47:12. Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of thy judgments, O Lord.

47:13. Surround Sion, and encompa.s.s her: tell lye in her towers.

47:14. Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that ye may relate it in another generation.

47:15. For this is G.o.d, our G.o.d unto eternity, and for ever and ever: he shall rule us for evermore.

Psalms Chapter 48

Audite haec, omnes gentes.

The folly of worldlings, who live on in sin, without thinking of death or h.e.l.l.

48:1. Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

48:2. Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

48:3. All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

48:4. My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

48:5. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

48:6. Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompa.s.s me.

The iniquity of my heel... That is, the iniquity of my steps or ways: or the iniquity of my pride, with which as with the heel, I have spurned and kicked at my neighbours: or the iniquity of my heel, that is, the iniquity in which I shall be found in death. The meaning of this verse is, Why should I now indulge those pa.s.sions and sinful affections, or commit now those sins, which will cause me so much fear and anguish in the evil day; when the sorrows of death shall compa.s.s me, and the perils of h.e.l.l shall find me?

48:7. They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the mult.i.tude of their riches,

They that trust, etc... As much as to say, let them fear that trust in their strength or riches: for they have great reason to fear: seeing no brother or other man, how much a friend soever, can by any price or labour rescue them from death.

48:8. No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to G.o.d his ransom,

48:9. Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,

And shall labour for ever, etc... This seems to be a continuation of the foregoing sentence: as much as to say no man can by any price or ransom prolong his life, that so he may still continue to labour here, and live to the end of the world. Others understand it of the eternal sorrows, and dying life of h.e.l.l, which is the dreadful consequence of dying in sin.

48:10. And shall still live unto the end.

48:11. He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:

He shall not see destruction, etc... Or, shall he not see destruction?

As much as to say, however thoughtless he may be of his death, he must not expect to escape; when even the wise and the good are not exempt from dying.

48:12. And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.

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